Chrysanthemums and Romantic Kings
by slayer of destiny
Summary: After BOTFA, Thorin has a lot to make up for and will have to make great efforts if he is to convince Bilbo that he wants him to stay in Erebor, and repair the damage his words have done. However, Thorin proves himself to be a romantic Dwarf, so between adopting elves and reading about flowers, he will, of course, sweep Bilbo off his feet. How can a Hobbit resist?


Thorin squared his shoulders and stepped into the room that held Kili and Fili, healing from their injuries, and of course, the Elf Tauriel who refused to leave Kili's side. And so the room contained the Elf Prince Legolas also, who refused to leave Tauriel's side, the younger elf apparently being something of a sister to him.

The laughter the four of them had been sharing quietened, and they eyed him cautiously as he hobbled over to them, his crutch sounding even louder due to the sudden silence. He winced when he saw the caution in his nephews' eyes that had never been there before when they looked at him. But he knew he deserved it after his actions and how much damage he had nearly done.

"Nephews, how are you feeling today?" Thorin asked, his voice gentled as he looked them over. If any chance of the Gold sickness returning to him had ever loomed over his head. Nearly losing the two boys he loved as sons most definitely assured that it was well and truly banished. There was nothing like nearly losing those you loved most to realise what a fool you have been.

"Better, though Oin still will not let us leave our beds," Fili huffed.

"Oin knows what is best for you, you still need to heal," Tauriel scolded gently.

"She is right," Thorin nodded, mentally grimacing at the shocked looks he received. "Besides there is much work to be done, once you are up and about and slaving away you will wish to be tucked back up in here,"

His words got the smiles that he wanted. The caution in Fili and Kili's eyes leaving and once again they were the boys who loved and admired him. It eased something in his heart to know that they could still love him after seeing him at his worst.

"How is Bilbo?" Kili asked softly.

"His fever picked up again. Oin says he will be ok, but it has set back his recovery again," Thorin sighed. "It is actually Bilbo that brings me here,"

"Yes?" Fili smiled before looking confused when Thorin straightened his back and turned to Tauriel and Legolas.

"I understand that you have been asking for things to do while you are here?"

"Yes, but we have been told that we are not to interfere," Legolas nodded sharply.

"We don't want to be eating your food and living under your roof, and giving nothing in return," Tauriel added.

"Then I would have...I would ask something of you?" Thorin corrected himself and ignored his nephews gawping at him like idiots.

"I...yes! Of Course," Legolas nodded his young age, for an elf of course, shining through.

"I would ask that you make a garden," The silence that followed made him uncomfortable, especially as they all looked as though wondering if he had gone mad again.

"A garden uncle?" Kili asked.

"For Bilbo," Thorin nodded.

"You..."

"My words...Bilbo was unsure enough of our relationship before, with us planning on taking back the Mountain and for me to become King here. He was unsure of what place he could have here at my side. My words to him while under the Goldsickness, banishing him, will have cut further into his heart than my words can heal. If I wish for him to stay, if I have any hope of convincing him that I want him to stay, I am going to have to show him,"

"You think he might leave?" Kili frowned.

"I would not blame him if he did. However I owe it to him to prove how much I love him, and how much I regret my words...even if it does not work and he wishes to leave, I want him to know how much I truly love him, and that my words were not the truth while I was ill," Thorin said proudly.

"We will help you make a magnificent garden," Legolas assured him.

"I have two other requests to do with it. One, I would like you to teach me what you are doing and how to care for the plants. And two, I would like this planted at the very centre," Thorin ignored the gawps coming from his nephews at his words of learning to garden, and held up an acorn to show the elves.

"Shall we start planning?" Legolas grinned grabbing spare parchment and a quill.

* * *

"Bilbo," Thorin smiled softly as he took a seat at the Hobbit's beside. The Hobbit's cheeks were still unnaturally flushed, and his blue eyes a little hazy, his golden curls damp with sweat. But he was looking more with it than he had for days.

"Thorin?" Bilbo frowned confused, his tongue coming out to dampen his lips. Thorin hobbled over to grab a glass with a straw in it and sat on Bilbo's bedside and helped him drink. "You smell of soil," Bilbo mumbled confusedly.

"I have been working hard," Thorin chuckled thinking about the pair of elves that even now were working like demons in the rapidly developing gardens. Now that Kili and Fili were allowed up and about, but not to work, they seemed to have decided that the garden did not count, and were also learning to tend to it.

"You are working too hard, you look tired," Bilbo huffed.

"It is important," Thorin smiled.

"I will be out your hair as soon as I can," Bilbo turned away from him.

"I have told you, I have no wish for you to go anywhere," Thorin leant down to brush kisses to Bilbo's sweaty forehead. "I can not do this without you, Bilbo. My words were not meant, they were not said by me, but a dark and ugly part of my soul that holds no bearing or reflection on my feelings or my heart. I would have cast out Kili and Fili too at that moment. I will convince you that my love for you is no different to when I vowed it to you,"

Bilbo said nothing, but he turned blurry eyes to look back to Thorin.

As the fever had gripped Bilbo he had sobbed and cried out for Thorin, clearly reliving the moment Thorin had threatened his life and had banished him. Oin and Balin, even Dwalin, had tried to keep him away when Bilbo was like that, as they could see how much it hurt him to see. However he refused to be moved, and he held Bilbo, uttering his words of love and devotion in his own tongue, as that seemed to calm Bilbo the most. He had assured Bilbo a hundred times of this very thing, and he would carry on until his voice was hoarse.

* * *

"I am shaping my crown," Thorin spoke up after the silence became too long. Bilbo blinked and looked at him shocked. He was looking a lot better, and Oin said it would not be long before he would be able to leave his bed. It was a comment that made Thorin joyful to know that his Hobbit was finally better, and terrified him that Bilbo would walk out the doors of Erebor and never look back.

Thorin did not look up from the plans that he had been sketching out in his free time, not that he really had much of that as his own mobility got better and better. The only saving grace was that Fili and Kili were back to nearly full health and were being amazing helping out. It gave him the time in his garden and working on these plans.

"What about your Grandfather's crown?" Bilbo finally asked.

"I melted it down. I have used the gold for my own crown so that he will still be a part of it. But it is not matched to me, to who I am and who I hope to be. His crown had seen too much grief, I do not wish to start my own reign here bearing that upon my head," Thorin looked up, seemingly startling Bilbo with the sudden eye contact. "Does that make sense?"

"I..think so, yes,"

"I thought of keeping it to remind me, it was the crown I wore when I...when I lost myself in a way I swore I would not do. But I think it would do more harm than good. Besides, my new design is much more suited to me," Thorin smiled.

"What is your design?" Bilbo scrunched his nose thoughtfully in a way that Thorin always loved as he clearly tried to picture what would suit him best.

"You will have to wait till the coronation to see," Thorin smiled teasingly.

"I may be well enough to leave before then," Bilbo looked down again making Thorin sigh and lean forwards.

"Bilbo, I do not want you to leave, I want you to be there for my coronation and I want you to be there for my rule, at my side. Please do not leave me," Thorin asked. Bilbo frowned and lowered his eyes, but Thorin counted it as a win, it was the first time that they had had this argument that Bilbo hadn't carried on arguing.

"Have you been very busy today?" Bilbo asked after a small beat making Thorin smile.

"Well I was fending off an argument between Balin and Dain, honestly that Dwarf can talk the pants off of an elf on a good day, get him and Dain together and they turn back into 5-year-olds," Thorin rolled his eyes.

"I can't picture that," Bilbo smiled a little.

"It's quite amusing really, they squabble and huff at each,"

"Has Dwalin stopped flirting and blushing around Ori like a tween?" Bilbo asked with another small smile.

"No, we are still suffering through watching his poor attempt at both trying to let Ori know he likes him and hiding it. Not that I really have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to feelings," Thorin said dryly.

Bilbo went quiet for a few moments again, looking back to his hands in his lap. Thorin paused and let him get himself together sensing he was feeling overwhelmed and unsure again. He gave a few moment and beats, turning to go back to his design.

"Kili and Tauriel are being as sickening. Kili is learning about different types of trees for her, and I caught her grilling Bofur on Kili's skill base," Thorin added as he carried on sketching.

"That's nice...are you going to let them stay together?" Bilbo asked.

"What would you say?" Thorin looked up and met his eyes again, using the weight of his stare to keep them locked together. "Do you think that love can beat through all previous misunderstandings and relationships, can mend harsh words and actions of the past?"

"Thorin," Bilbo sighed, part of his personality showing through properly since the battle.

"What? You always said I was no good at subtlety," Thorin grinned unrepentantly.

"So you are considering letting them stay together?" Bilbo asked choosing to blatantly ignore him. Thorin smirked but went along with it.

"There is no considering. They love each other. How can I say no when she went willingly into an orc-infested fortress for him, not to mention running after him to heal him. Plus they refuse to leave each other's sides. I fear I am fated to look up into my niece in law's eyes for the rest of my time...and I have to sell this to Dis," Thorin sighed.

He looked up with a smile when Bilbo snorted and then laughed, clearly thinking of all the stories that Thorin and the boys had told him about Dis and her personality.

* * *

"I do not know if you would like to go through these for me?" Thorin asked casually placing the papers onto Bilbo's lap and then claimed his seat.

"What are they?" Bilbo frowned, but he was already thumbing through the papers.

"They are the treaties with the men and elves, I thought you might like to look through them," Thorin said not looking up from the second set of papers he pulled from his coat.

"Thorin..." Bilbo choked making the King look up quickly concerned, but he calmed when he saw his Hobbit staring wide-eyed at one of the papers.

"What part have you reached?"

"Your part of the treasure, you are giving it to the men?" Bilbo choked.

"I made a promise to them, and I broke my word, I betrayed the faith you had in me, I turned them away and treated them the way I have resented the elves for, for decades," Thorin shook his head. "We disturbed the dragon, it was my idea to start the quest. And then we turned them away when they needed help,"

"Thorin, you have promised them help until they are on their feet as well as Dwarves to help them rebuild when they need them,"

"I would have liked to offer more, but we can not spare them if we are going to have the forges going again by the time winter really hits," Thorin sighed.

"Thorin..." Bilbo was wide wide eyed, a slight tremble in his hand telling Thorin exactly where he had gotten up to.

"Ah you got to the part about the elves," Thorin nodded.

"You are giving back the jewels," Bilbo looked at him. Really looked at him as he had not since before the gold sickness had started.

"They were never ours to keep. I felt so embarrassed and disgusted with my grandfather when he kept those jewels from the Elvenking. He had paid for them fairly, but more than that they were his late wives. No matter the quarrels and troubles that I have had to them, to keep something that belonged to his late wife, that was unforgivable. I had every intention of returning the jewels and clearing that smear on our name, even when I denied him while we were in Mirkwood,"

"You..."

"There are things more important than money or jewels, I know that we have not really shown you that, but there is. Whatever I may have thoughts about Thranduil, he loved his wife, and he was mourning her, for my Grandfather to have done that was unforgivable. For me to do the same thing..."

"Thorin, it wasn't your fault, you were sick," Bilbo reached out and took his hand, willingly touching him. Thorin's eyes snapped up from where they had been lowered in shame, and he locked his love in his gaze, his eyes wide and pleading.

"If you can believe that over the elves and the men, why can you not believe it over the things that I said to you, the things that I did to you? I love you Bilbo, my life here will not be worth anything without you by my side to share in the good times and the bad, to share my laughter with, and to tell me when I am being a fool. Without you here it will not be worth it, without you here to bring the light and laughter to my life that I have gotten to experience since you have come into my life. Please do not leave me! If you do not want to stay...I will come with you. I am sure that the Shire could do with a...blacksmith, and I can sell wares in Bree to pay my way! And if you need to wait decades to forgive me, I will wait patiently, just please, give me a chance," Thorin pleaded.

Bilbo was staring at him stunned, and he realised that he had never truly told Bilbo how he felt, even when they had confessed their feelings for each other in the cells of Mirkwood, with Bilbo invisible on the other side of the bars to his cell.

"Well, that was an impressive speech," someone said making the two of them turn to see the whole Company standing there grinning. Balin was already herding them all out, and Thorin rolled his eyes as his nephews gave him the thumbs up on their way out.

"You would really leave Erebor for me?" Bilbo asked slowly making Thorin turn quickly back round to him.

"Without a second thought," Thorin nodded.

"And if I said I wanted to leave tomorrow?" Bilbo asked.

"I would rather you wait at least a week, that will give me time to get things prepared and make sure that things are safer for you, I will have to find a cart that we can travel with you in, you're still not well enough for walking or riding, but if you want to leave tomorrow I can do it," Thorin muttered to himself.

He blinked confusedly when Bilbo touched his cheek making him turn back around to look at him.

"I didn't go through all this for you to leave, and I don't want to leave. Thorin, I followed you because I had faith in the King that you are, and the vision of the kingdom that you can build,"

"You will stay with me?" Thorin asked for clarification.

"Yes, I will. It may take time for me to trust you again, and we can't go back to where we were. But I want to stay with you, my place is with you, I can't imagine not being with you, having you in my life. I know that you were not to blame, I know that you were ill, but it can't undo what was done. We will need to work together to repair our relationship," Bilbo said softly.

"However long it takes," Thorin vowed.

"Why don't you sit closer, and we can go through these together," Bilbo shuffled a little over on his bed and patted the space beside him.

Quicker then he had ever moved Thorin settled on the bed beside Bilbo.

"Foolish Dwarf, you could have hurt your leg!" Bilbo scolded gently motioning to Thorin's still stiff and sore leg. Thorin smiled sheepishly at him but made himself comfy anyway.

* * *

"But... flowers are just flowers!" Fili protested.

"No, they have meaning! And I want this garden to say the right thing!" Thorin argued before Legolas or Tauriel could, digging a book that they had all seen him intently pouring over whenever he had a free moment from his nearby coat.

"You have been studying flower and plant meanings?" Fili turned to grin at Kili onto to roll his eyes when his brother looked sheepish. Under Fili's stare, Kili dug out a book whose title announced that it was the meaning and understanding of trees. "Malhal!" He shook his head, especially when he caught the besotted looks Kili started exchanging with his elf as she smiled shyly at him.

"Do not worry, we will help you plant things with all the right meanings, and we will label up the garden for him," Legolas smiled a little at the King.

"Thank you," he smiled back clearly stunning the blonde. "I want this in the middle," He said digging out THE acorn from another pocket and holding it out to the elf as though he was holding his very crown in his hands.

"I will make sure it grows," Legolas said seriously.

* * *

"What on the earth is going on?!" Bilbo protested as he was carefully carried through the halls. He had been allowed up and about the rooms he had been moved to from the healing rooms, and Oin was finally letting him do more and more, though frustratingly more often than not it was the tiredness left over from his fever that made him have to stop and rest than scolding Dwarves.

Though Thorin's eyebrows constantly looked worried when he walked into a room and caught Bilbo wandering about. Honestly that Dwarrow's eyebrows had a whole range of language of their own.

But he had not been really allowed to wander far. And so Balin, Dwalin, Bofur and Bifur coming to fetch him, pressing him into clothes suitable for court and insisting he was required there was a shock.

"I am sorry Bilbo, and I know this is not how you and Thorin wanted to have your first Court appearance, but you need to calm him down," Balin apologised.

"Calm him down from what?" Bilbo asked baffled wandering what on earth his ridiculous Dwarrow had gotten into now.

"I think he and Thranduil are about to come to blows!" Balin grumbled.

"What why? Thorin has been doing really well, and he has been more than generous," Bilbo was genuinely confused. He had seen the headaches Thorin had come away from meetings with Thranduil with from trying to contain his anger.

"Legolas," Dwalin grunted.

"Wha?" Bilbo had time to say before they burst into court. Luckily it was not a full court as there would normally be considering most of Thorin's court would not yet have even left the Blue Mountains, but it was full enough with those that were involved in the rebuilding of Erebor, and everyone was standing staring at what was going on in the centre of the room.

"...completely awful! He will stay here for as long as he wants, and he will be appreciated for the good, kind, strong, clever, intelligent, wonderful lad that he is! The way you treat him is appaling and you do not deserve him for the diamond that he is! You will be taking him from this mountain over my cold dead body, and that of my people!" Thorin was shouting, looking utterly furious.

"He is my son and he will be coming with me! Legolas, here!" Thranduil clicked his fingers, and Bilbo swore he could see steam pouring from Thorin's ears.

"You did not just... he is your son, not a dog, not a servant! Legolas Dwarf-friend will be remaining wherever he wants! He wishes to go with you he may. But he will be welcome to live here, in this mountain, the rest of his life if he wishes!" Thorin snarled. "You do not deserve a son if that is how you treat him!"

"And what? You are going to adopt an elf?" Thranduil snorted amusedly.

"Legolas Dwarf son, yes I quite like that," Thorin nodded making the elf king gawp at him. Bilbo looked to the blonde elf in question, who was standing to the right of Thorin's throne, bright red in the face, but also looking bashfully pleased.

"If I may?" Bilbo wriggled down from the grip of his Dwarves while they were distracted with the fight in front of them, and limped forwards.

The noise Thorin let out was a mix between a squawk and a growl as he spotted Bilbo, and he started towards him to help him, but then a gentle hand took his and the Hobbit looked up into bright smiling eyes as a tumble of red hair fell into his view. Tauriel walked at an even pace with him as they quickly moved across the room.

"Legolas, what do you want to do?" Bilbo asked softly, but everyone stilled.

"I...want to stay," The elf prince said softly.

"Then there is no argument, no discussion, the matter is done. If you wish to drag your son from the mountain, in front of all your people, the men of Dale and the Dwarves of Erebor and the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, you may do so. But it will not be peaceful, and there will only be one person that looks the fool," Bilbo crossed his arms as he stood directly in front of Legolas.

As one the members of the company moved, standing in a line beside Bilbo, their weaponry was not allowed in this room, but Bilbo had found that his Dwarves did not need weapons to look intimidating, especially in their own mountain.

"A bloody Elven nephew, really Thorin!" Dain rough grumble proceeded him joining the line.

"And niece!" Kili grinned cheekily from beside Tauriel, who blushed delicately.

"Well, it seems decisions have been made my friend," Gandalf stepped into the room, unimpressed eyes locked onto Thranduil.

Bilbo honestly thought for a second that the King was going to throw a tantrum before he spun and stormed out of the rooms.

"I am quite fine Thorin!" Bilbo huffed ten minutes later as Thorin placed a blanket over his knees. Council had been dismissed for the day, and the Company had retired to the waiting rooms attached for something to drink, and a good gossip as they always liked.

Bilbo himself had been quickly deposited onto a sofa in front of the fire and Thorin was torn between telling off Balin for dragging him from his rooms, and fussing over Bilbo.

"Thank you," Legolas said softly stepping over to them. The rest of Bilbo's idiots all pretended to be busy not eavesdropping, giving the three of them a semblance of privacy for their conversation. "If you truly do not wish for me to linger I will find somewhere else to go,"

"No!" Thorin said quickly, before glaring faintly. "I meant what I said. If you wish to call it home, Erebor is your home. For as long as you want it to be. And the titles too, if you want them,"

"He means it," Bilbo smiled when the elf's blue eyes went to him wide-eyed.

"Thank you, thank you," Legolas beamed before hurrying over to Tauriel.

"I will make some better, bigger beds," Bofur muttered, proving they had indeed all been listening.

"With the way Kili and Tauriel look at each other, you may need to make sure it is reinforced," Bilbo said primly before bursting out laughing at the stunned, scandalised looks he was receiving from his Dwarves.

* * *

"Are you sure I should be attending this Balin?" Bilbo frowned tugging at his robes.

"If anyone were to complain about a none dwarf attending, it would be the newly adopted elf/dwarf son," Balin snorted amusedly. "Bilbo everyone knows how you helped on the quest, you are a hero of Erebor, and the love of the King. No one will argue you being there. Now, stop tugging!"

"I am not used to wearing things like this!" Bilbo protested. "And I am a little confused as to why we are having a reopening of the forge ceremony when we used them not long ago to try and kill Smaug,"

"It is a Dwarf thing,"

"Thorin, you cannot use that as an argument every time I protest some..." Bilbo drew off as he turned and caught sight of the King.

Thorin had always looked majestic to Bilbo, it was in his bearing, and it was what had made him follow the Dwarf hoard from his smial. But standing in front of him dressed in black trousers, smart leather boots - hefty as always but looking more official looking somehow - a deep blue tunic with Durin's silver stars embroidered onto it, and soft silk looking blue robes lined with black fur. His hair was neatly braided back from his face leaving its curly wave to fall gracefully down Thorin's back.

"What?" Thorin asked confused.

"You look...wonderful," Bilbo smiled moving over to the King Under the Mountain. He reached up to play with the ends of Thorin's hair. "You have more grey in your hair," He said fondly.

"That is from watching Kili fluttering his eyelashes at his elf every five seconds," Thorin rolled his eyes. "And thinking about having to explain to Dis why her daughter in law is 4 feet taller than her,"

"And why she also no has an elven nephew, who happens to also be royalty?" Bilbo laughed.

"That too," Thorin blushed a little. "You look, beautiful,"

"Thank you for having Dori...Hobbit them up for me," Bilbo said looking down at the clothing that indeed while far fancier then he would ever have dreamt of wearing, was indeed Hobbity.

"I fell in love with a Hobbit, not a Dwarf, I have no wish for any other," Thorin said gently as he raised Bilbo's chin with a large, rough finger. Bilbo did often wonder how a Dwarf that could be so harsh sometimes, who had unintentionally, and intentionally, insulted him for the first half of the quest, could be so romantic sometimes. "Thank you for attending this for me,"

"I hope you know I am attending this only for a sight of the crown that you have been teasing me about for weeks now," Bilbo teased.

"I have not been doing it on purpose, I promise, I want you to see it completed," Thorin chuckled.

"And it's been stealing your time from me," Bilbo pouted. Tenderly Thorin captured the lip in a sweet kiss. They were not quite back where they were before the goldsickness, but Bilbo thought that perhaps they would be stronger for it. They talked a lot more than they had before and during their first attempt, and there was much more romance this time. Bilbo also did not feel like a besotted fool, but rather just a man in love.

"That will be fixed after today, I promise," Thorin smiled, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Hem," Bilbo and Thorin turned with an equal blush to see Balin was still in the room with them. The old Dwarf just smiled at them fondly. "Are we ready? It would not do to be late,"

* * *

Bilbo stood proudly between Legolas and Balin, watching as the Dwarves of the mountain filed in. Everyone was looking excited and eager, and though he, Legolas and Tauriel did not feel the moment to the same level as the Dwarves, they could understand how important this moment was. The forges were the heart of the mountain, the heart of most Dwarven crafts. The forges being re-opened officially was an announcement that the Mountain was alive again.

As he looked down the line at his friends he was amused to see Bofur, Bombur and Bifur all blushing darkly as they shuffled in their fancy clothes. Thorin had insisted on honouring those that had stood by him, that had fought by him. As well as giving them important titles within the Mountain and making them the Head of their Craft, they had been given rooms in the royal wing of the Mountain for them and their families, including Bombur's rather extensive family, but also Thorin had insisted that they would have pride of place at any parties and gatherings, ceremonies and gatherings. He had also named all of them, Bilbo included, brothers in arms - Bifur had actually burst into tears at that point.

Legolas and Tauriel were of course here as well. That had earned some mutterings, but amusingly Dain had stood in front of the elves against anyone that had tried arguing against them and glared everyone into submission.

Thorin stood a little bit away in front of the door to the forges, a plinth was standing beside him with his crown resting underneath covered up and waiting for the big reveal. And Yavanna but Bilbo wanted to run and peek underneath. As though hearing his thoughts Thorin turned and smiled nervously at him.

A good part of the ceremony was in Khuzdul and Bilbo had not a clue about what was being said very grandly by Thorin. Absently he reminded himself to pressure Ori into getting started on their lessons so that he could understand what on earth was going on at these things while trying very hard to look impressed and serious, and not glaze over with boredom.

Finally, though Thorin reached out to the giant doors of the forge and pushed them open. The heat that came from the forges nearly knocked Bilbo off his feet. Balin had informed him that the forges needed to be fully working and going for this moment to show that they would be working from now into the future. And right enough the cheer that the Dwarves let out was deafening.

"And now, the first piece to be made in Erebor under my rule. I fashioned this crown myself, to show to myself and everyone else that with this new crown, I will be a new Dwarf, I will be a better and different Dwarf than I was when I first claimed Erebor. This is a promise to you all, and while we will remember our past, we are forging a new future, together, and it is a future we will be proud of, it will be a future that we will carve into the history of our people, with pride!"

Thorin's speech made something swell in Bilbo's chest, and he did not even need to see the crown. However when Thorin swept away the covering his breath caught in his chest, and his heart did a funny little tap dance.

It still had the raven wing shape to it at the front and back, however also twinging around the whole circle of the crown was a vine with delicate oak tree leaves, and at the centre of the fourteen leaves was a silver star of Durin with a tiny bright diamond at the centre. It was beautiful, meaningful and perfect for everything Thorin was trying to say with the piece. He could hear sniffing and did not have to look to know Bifur was near tears again as each of them counted the amount of leaves and realised that Thorin had a leaf representing each of them. But Bilbo's eyes were drawn to the perfect acorn sitting at the front of the crown, which would sit in the middle of Thorin's forehead when he was wearing it.

When he looked around and met Thorin's eyes, the beautiful blue showed the nerves of his Dwarf, worried that Bilbo would not like it. He had spent hours and hours and hours upon this crown, and it was simply perfect. Smiling so brightly his face actually hurt, Bilbo hoped that his face said everything that he was feeling for his Dwarf, and in that moment he felt the last of his uncertainty fading from his heart that staying here in Erebor may not be the right thing to do.

It felt like forever before Thorin was finally able to capture Bilbo's hand and draw him away from everyone that wanted to congratulate him on the opening of the forges and on his crown, though there were a lot of confused faces as to his choice to include plants on his crown. Finally, finally, he had managed to shrug Dwalin off, who had been sniffing into his shoulder. But his ever saviour Balin had eventually run interference with Dain, and he was able to snag his Hobbit.

"Shouldn't we stay for the celebrations?" Bilbo asked confused.

"We will return for the meal and the drinks, there is something else that I want to show you," Thorin was refusing to look at him, and he could see the Dwarf's ears turning red which normally meant he was nervous.

"Is there a reason what you want to show me is in your bedroom?" Bilbo asked calmly. He was only teasing, however, the way poor Thorin started spluttering explanations and reassurances told Bilbo just how nervous Thorin actually was. "Thorin, show me your surprise," Bilbo interrupted gently, squeezing the hand holding his.

"I...close your eyes?" Thorin asked softly.

"Of course," Bilbo smiled before doing as asked.

He heard Thorin opening his doors before his other hand took Bilbo's free hand, and he led him carefully into the room. They moved across the room until Thorin arranged him as he wanted.

"Ok," Thorin said, and as Bilbo opened his eyes and took in the true nerves wracking the Kings face before Thorin stepped to the side and allowed Bilbo to see his surprise.

And surprise it was because there in Thorin's rooms was the door to Bag End, or of course a perfect copy of it. It was the perfect shade of green, the perfect size, shape, everything. Stepping forward with a slightly shaking hand he reached out and stroked his fingers over the door.

"Open the door, Bilbo," Thorin seemed to have gained a little confidence from the awe on Bilbo's face. He walked up behind him, and taking his hand, placed it on the round brass doorknob in the centre of the door.

"This isn't it?" Bilbo asked stunned.

"This is just the beginning," Thorin brushed a kiss to his cheek, and let go of Bilbo's hand, instead placing it on Bilbo's waist.

Licking his lips and feeling ridiculously nervous, Bilbo turned the doorknob and pulled the door open. His heart thumped dramatically in his chest as his eyes widened. The door opened out onto the mountainside, and there was a garden, a perfect garden. A balcony had been carved into the mountainside, a waist-high railing, of course, protecting him from accidentally falling, and round it was already twined growing roses and vines of ivy.

And filling the rest of the garden were dozens of different plants that had all obviously been carefully tended for weeks now. Several trees were planted in the large area, fruit trees of different types he thought. As he wandered forwards he ran his fingers over the beautiful stone bench that also sat there, just waiting for him with his pipe and a good book from the massive library. He grinned when he realised that the garden was meticulously labelled in Thorin's hand, each plant with a little wooden sign in front of it.

"This is why you have smelt of soil for so long," Bilbo laughed turning to see Thorin standing hopefully in the centre of his garden, drinking in every reaction.

"Tauriel and Legolas have helped me greatly, and Kili and Fili have made pests of themselves," Thorin shrugged.

"This is...Thorin..." Bilbo spun in a circle taking in the beautiful fledgeling garden.

"I know asking you to stay here with me is selfish, but I love you Bilbo, and if you do choose to stay I want to show you that I will show you every day how grateful I am and that I will do everything in my power to make Erebor home for you. Including learning the difference between cabbage and lettice, and carnations and chrysanthemums," Thorin smiled bashfully.

"Oh my foolish Dwarf," Bilbo shook his head before quickly making his way to Thorin.

Wrapping his arms around his foolish Dwarf's neck he drew the King down for a passionate, deep kiss that they had not shared since they had passed into the desolation of Smaug months ago. Thorin groaned into his mouth and tugged him closer, kissing him back with equal fever.

"Thorin, wherever you are is home to me. Bag End would just be a cold and empty home, as lonely and echoey as it was before 13 Dwarves came tumbling in through my front door and made of mess of my overly organised life. Do you think I could really live without Balin's quiet words of snark, or Dwalin grumbling threats and thievery of my biscuits, Nori popping out of nowhere and leaving me things he has stolen when I am having an off day, Dori's fussing or Ori's shy kindness, Bofur's laughter, or chatting with Bombur, Bifur's kind hugs, or Oin's hilarious mishearing, Gloin's constant talking about his son and wife. Fili's kindness and warmth, his bravery and mischievousness. Kili's cheekiness and good heart. Or you, my brave, wonderful King, who I am proud to say I love, who I know will be a wonderful leader because how can a Dwarf with a heart as giving and kind as yours, with a spine of mithril not be. And I will be proud to be here, beside you in our home. I don't want to go anywhere else Thorin,"

The king drew him close again and kissed him sweetly in the garden that a Dwarf of stone had painstakingly built and tended to, all for him.

"Also you pointed at a dahlia, not a chrysanthemum," Bilbo grinned when they parted.

He let out a shriek of laughter and darted away down the little path in the garden as Thorin growled playfully and lunged after him, his fingers wiggling in threat of the tickling he knew Bilbo would be weak to.

They had a lot to do, but they would do it together. King and Burglar. Dwarf and Hobbit.

Though Bilbo would leave Thorin alone to inform Dis that her youngest son was marrying an elf. He loved Thorin and would face a dragon for him, but he had heard stories of Dis along their travels.


End file.
